On January 15, 1919, at 12:41 PM in Boston, an event NY Times has called "a tsunami of molasses" occurred when a tank holding 2.3 million gallons of molasses ruptured, spilling molten goo into frigid winter streets. It flowed at 35 mph to the sea, killing 21 people, injuring 150 others, and levelling buildings to the ground, reducing them to rubble, collapsing an elevated train.

The tank was at 42N22'07", 71W03'21", but all of Boston was affected.

This death by stifling sweetness is one of the strangest disasters of all time. The wave of molasses was "as high as a football goalpost," according to contemporary descriptions. The substance thickened as it went, becoming tar-like, and trapping people who couldn't evade it.

When I first read about this, I was intrigued. What astrological factors would accompany such a strange disaster? Would it show as a flood, as a structural collapse? How much Venus would be involved for all that sweetness?

Indeed Venus was involved - and in a sticky, gooey way. At the time of the event itself, Venus was conjunct MC, opposite Neptune on IC.

I just discovered that Garth Allen examined this event at some point. His article, "What a Mess!", was reprinted in the May, 1975 issue of American Astrology. He gives a number of additional details that make the story even more interesting, probably from first hand reports at the time.

The main thing, though, is I screwed up the date. It should be January 15, not January 5. I need to redo all this. Off the digital ephemeris!